BOSS O’NEILL IS LEFT FEELING FRUSTRATED
Manager rues another slow start and not turning domination into three points
MICHAEL O’neill was relieved Stoke City rescued a point against Birmingham - but there was no hiding the frustration that his side couldn’t convert their territory into three points.
Stoke were slow starters but gradually got on top of a welldisciplined Birmingham team, with Steven Fletcher hitting the bar, Lee Gregory spurning a close range header and Sam Clucas not able to take a one-on-one opportunity.
Birmingham then took the lead through Harlee Dean from a corner and Stoke needed Nick Powell to come off the bench to find an equaliser.
O’neill said: “When you’re behind, to get something out of the game, you have to take something from that.
“But we had total domination from about 15 minutes in. I didn’t think we started well again and we have to look at why that is because there’s a bit of a pattern there which we don’t want to continue.
“But I thought from that point on we were totally dominant.
“Then we lose a goal from a corner. It’s a poor goal and poor to get ourselves into that situation to begin with to concede the corner.
“Then we have to fight our way back into the game against a team that put men behind the ball and try to hold on for a 1-0. But we had to keep going, found a way to get the equaliser and couldn’t find a way to get the winner.”
O’neill had been disappointed by the previous home league game - a 2-0 defeat to Bristol City - but kept the wing-back system which has been effective away.
He said: “We conceded too many goals last season (playing 4-3-3), it’s as simple as that. Since we moved to three at the back we’re a lot more solid.
“There are areas of the system that we need to look to correct as well. At times we get a bit bogged down in certain areas of the pitch and players need a little bit of work and guidance.
“It’s a work in progress but we have a good shape to the team, I think we’re playing with a good disciplined structure.
“But if necessary if we had to change to a back four we have the personnel to do that.”
A lack of home fans means that he is not tempted to change it for home matches.
He said: “There’s no real home matches at this minute in time, we’re playing in empty stadiums.
“Home or away I think the games are pretty much the same
“I don’t think changing to a four will make us any more attacking because we’re playing with two strikers, two advanced 8s. We have the same number of attacking players on the pitch as we would in a 4-3-3 but it’s just a slightly different formation.”
The international transfer deadline passes at 11pm tonight but Stoke are hoping to use the domestic deadline of October 16 to help trim the squad. O’neill said: “We’ve had to trim the wage bill since we’ve come in. We’ve had a number of players go abroad, good options for them and good options for the club and we have other players who are surplus at this minute in time.
“I think more realistically those players will be heading to English clubs when there is only the English market is open.
“Certainly for the lads’ benefit and the club’s benefit, ideally we’ll find a solution.”